Quiet Mind: Women's pursuit of mental health care in Canada

Imagine that you are a woman with a history of complex trauma, like so many others. You find yourself sobbing and unable to function. You have panic attacks. You are hyper-vigilant and easily startled. You realize that you need help, although until now you have been resilient. You are a feminist and want to talk to someone who will show empathy and compassion and treat you with respect. You are searching for someone to talk to, who will listen. You don't want to be dismissed. You know what you don't want for your care. But what help is there?

What is the state-of-the art care for women with mental health issues? What is accessible to the average woman in Canada?

Women who work in the mental health field are invited to submit chapters for this collaborative book (narrative essays/prose; feminist critiques of psychiatry and medicine; social science, clinical psychology and medical research studies; literature reviews; etc).

What have we done in the past two decades to uniquely address women's mental health care issues? Do the issues or approaches in psychiatry and psychology/other allied health fields differ? What is our current approach to of psychopharmacology and how are women affected? How/where do we address complex trauma and sexual abuse in our health care system? Do changes in the DSM V bear any specific significance for women? Where in psychiatry or medical training do we offer an understanding of mental illness through a feminist lens? How does our public/private divide of mental health services affect the quality of care available to the average Canadian woman?